Rafael Mendez

Reprint from the
International Trumpet Guild Journal
to promote communications among trumpet players around the world and to improve the artistic level
of performance, teaching, and literature associated with the trumpet
Delon G. Lyren Rafael Mndez: The Life of a Master Trumpeter

(Feb99/4)
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Rafael Mndez.
(All photos courtesy of the Rafael Mndez Library, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.)
44 ITG
ITG Journal
Journal // February,
February, 1999
1999
1999 International Trumpet Guild
Rafael Mndez:
The Life of a Master Trumpeter
DELON G. LYREN
n 1926, when Rafael Mndez (1906-1981)

moved to the United States from Mexico, the
cornet retained its preeminence as a high
brass solo instrument. The cornet virtuoso tradition,
with its history of personalities such as Jules Levy,
Patrick Gilmore, Walter Rogers, and Herbert L.
Clarke made the cornet the popular choice among
soloists. The gradual transition in popularity from the
cornet to the trumpet was due to trumpet soloists like
Rafael Mndez, who performed for thousands throughout the world, dazzling audiences with his technique,
brilliant tone quality, and winning personality.
Maximino Mndez
and The Mndez Family Orchestra
For at least five generations, ancestors of the
Mndez family lived in the Michoacan area of Mexico.
At age 14, Irene Arceo Galvez married Maximino
Mndez Gutirrez and together they raised 12 children. Although pregnant 19 times,1 only 12 children
lived through the pregnancy and birthing process.
Rafael and most of his siblings were born in a home
in Jiquilpan, Michoacan, where they remained for
most of Rafaels youth except for a short period of
residence in Guadalajara, Jalisco.2 Given the name
Rafael Gutirrez Mndez Arceo, Rafaels parents
named him after his relative, General Gutirrez of
the Mexican Army, and another relative, the Senior
Cardinal of Mexico, Rafael Mndez Arceo from
Cuernavaca.3
Maximino was a talented musician. He may have
received his early training in music fundamentals
and composition from a French music teacher.4 In
addition, he educated himself with books that his
mother brought home from her trips to Mexico City.
Maximino became accomplished on violin and cello;
and he devoted his entire life to music, playing several other musical instruments, including viola, piano, mandolin, guitar, and horn. Formally trained in
solfeggio, composition, and arranging, he earned a
living early in his career by performing at parties of
rich families and teaching violin and mandolin.5
Maximino directed a community orchestra, which
flourished until the arrival in Jiquilpan of another
musician who was intent on becoming the towns
most important orchestra leader. The newcomer had
more financial backing and paid better wages, and
consequently, Maximino began losing musicians to the

other mans orchestra. Papa Mino, as his children
called him, knew this situation necessitated a change.
To provide himself with personnel upon whom he could
depend, he began to train his own children.6 Rafael
said, My father didnt have an orchestra then, and he
didnt have a lot of money, but he had a lot of kids.
So he took us to a farm for three months, handed each
of us an instrument and started teaching us.7
Maximino made learning music fun by teaching
each child a short exercise, and when all the children
played the exercise together, they discovered that
their father had taught them a popular Mexican folk
song. The children always looked forward to the day
when Papa Mino would teach them a new song. At
the conclusion of three months, the Mndezes returned to Jiquilpan. Due to his expert teaching and
the appeal of a family orchestra, Maximinos orchestra successfully regained its position as the most
prominent in the community.8 Until approximately
1925, the Mndez family orchestra regularly performed
for festivals and other community functions.9
Rafael Chooses Trumpet
Even though Rafael preferred to play a stringed
instrument, he chose trumpet as his first instrument
because the family orchestra lacked a trumpet player.
Maximino considered Rafaels physical build too slight
to play the trumpet, but he allowed Rafael to begin
lessons. Although only five years old, Rafael immediately fell in love with the instrument and began to
focus all of his time and attention on it. His musical
talent revealed itself almost immediately. Maximino
taught Rafael solfeggio along with many other instruments in addition to trumpet, and young Rafael
surprised his father with his quick learning ability.
Maximino stressed the fundamentals of music, requiring Rafael to master these essentials before concentrating only on the instrument.10 The first scale
Maximino taught Rafael was the C-sharp scale. And
then he was a demon for pedal notes. He had me warm
up on pedal notes all the time.11 Only the most dedicated students could survive Maximinos discipline.
According to Rafael, One of my earliest recollections
is the daily drill in solfge through which my father
put all of his children. If one of us made a mistake, we
were rapped soundly for it.12
February, 1999 / ITG Journal 5
Maximino believed that to play a brass instrument, the persons body must be large and strong
enough to provide the necessary physical support.
Because of Rafaels frail physical build, Maximino
attempted to limit his sons practice, but to no avail.
Rafael loved the instrument too much to put it away.
He practiced so incessantly that his parents punished him if they caught him practicing in excess. As
a result, Rafael discovered a way to practice without
being caught. Whenever his parents left the home to
go to the market, Rafael paid half of his allowance to
one of his younger brothers to stand at the corner of
the block and warn him with a whistle when Mama
Nena or Papa Mino approached.13
Because the Mndezes lived in a small house, and
Rafael played the only brass instrument in the family, Mama Nena always asked Rafael to practice
softer so as not to overpower the rest of the household. She always called him the loudest trumpeter
she had ever heard. Young Rafael considered this a
compliment, and one day decided to show the whole
city what an excellent trumpeter he had become. He
climbed a small mountain near the Mndez home,
and at the top of the hill, played as loud as he could
for one full hour. Meanwhile, Rafael posted his brother
halfway down the mountain to listen. Rafael described
the incident:
I was happy in the thought that I might even
now be famous with the multitude who must
have heard me in the lowlands. I received my
first lesson in the effects of wind and space on
sound when my brother greeted me with a
disappointed, Why didnt you play? After
this early frustration, my attitude was subdued and for a year or more I was tabbed by
my teacher-father as Pianissimo Mndez.14
Once Maximino became aware that Rafael could
play the trumpet without any ill effects on his health,
he completely supported Rafael in his efforts, as did
the rest of the family. Despite the familys moral
support, they could not afford to purchase a decent
instrument, which resulted in a cheap and poorly
constructed cornet for Rafaels first instrument. He
frequently had to reattach the trumpets braces, because the beeswax that held the braces together
melted in Mexicos intense summer heat. During concerts, Rafael stood behind the contrabass to avoid the
heat from the lights.15
Rafael and Pancho Villa
During the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s,
Maximino realized there was a possible market for
entertainment of the troops during breaks in the
fighting. In approximately 1914, Maximino began
traveling with his family orchestra for several weeks
6 ITG Journal / February, 1999
at a time and performing for various encampments of

the guerillas and other Mexican troops. During breaks
in the fighting, the Mndez family orchestra set up
on neutral ground and performed for both sides.
Choosing sides would have endangered his family.
By 1916, Pancho Villa and other revolutionary
troops had reached the peak of their power, looting
and killing throughout Mexico. The troops swarmed
down on small towns and stole money, grain, cattle,
and anything else they desired. Maximino set up his
family orchestra and performed for Villa and his men
when they arrived at Jiquilpan. They impressed Villa,
who demanded that Maximino and the children accompany him as his personal orchestra. They traveled with Villa for three months, performing under a
flag of truce between battles, until Maximino received permission from Villa to return to Jiquilpan
with all his children except Rafael, who had become
Villas favorite. Villa wanted to keep Rafael as his
trumpeter, but Rafael wanted to leave and perform
with the Mexico City Police Band. When Rafael approached Villa with this idea, Villa had other plans.
Villa looked at young Rafael. If you want to
leave us, you are a traitor, he said. And do
you know what we do to traitors? We call the
firing squad. Pancho Villa was only joking
with young Rafael, but the boy did not know
this. Bravely he watched Villa summon a
firing squad. Bravely he let himself be
marched across an open area to a wall.
Bravely he heard the soldiers click the bolts
of their rifles. Then Villa turned to Rafael.
Do you still want to join the Mexico City
Police Band? he asked. The lad stammered,
Well, sir maybe not that much. Villa
began laughing, and all the men in the firing
squad began to laugh, too. It was a great joke
on the little trumpet player. After traveling
with Villa six months, Rafael returned home.
The bandit chief sent along three bodyguards
to make sure no harm came to the boy.16
Rafael Prepares for a Career
By age 15, Rafael had become a very good trumpeter. He managed to find an old Arbans Complete
Conservatory Method for Cornet and practiced its
etudes and exercises diligently, to the point that he
memorized most of the book.17
In 1921, Rafael left home to join the army. He was
stationed for several months in Acapulco,18 playing
in the army orchestra and living just above the plaza
in the old part of town. After about one year, when
his service to the army ended, he returned to his
hometown.19 During the early-to-mid-1920s, Rafael
earned a small amount of money by directing an
orchestra, and received a salary based on the earnings from each concert.20
Despite his love for music, Rafael took an apprenticeship with the village shoemaker, but after a short
time, he gave it up to pursue a career in music. A
circus traveling through Jiquilpan needed another
trumpeter for their band, so Rafael took the position.
He performed with this and other circus bands on
their Mexican tours, but these bands proved
unglamorous and unprofitable. After about two years,
he left in 1924 to rejoin his fathers orchestra in
Jiquilpan.
Until this time, Rafael had performed on a poorly
constructed cornet, which constantly needed repairs.
Soon after his return to Jiquilpan, some of the wealthy
community members contributed enough money to
purchase a new trumpet and a carrying case for
Rafael. Worried about how he could repay his debt to
the townspeople, Rafael was assured that the only
payment they desired was for him to play their favorite songs, Las Golondrinas and La Paloma, with his
fathers band.21
First Years in the United States
By 1926, Rafael realized that he had the potential
to accomplish great things as a performer, if only he
had the opportunity to perform for larger and more
knowledgeable audiences. Because Rafael had heard
and liked Dixieland and other forms of American
jazz, he decided to move to the United States.22 His
parents supported the move for two reasons. First,
Rafael was already an extremely accomplished trumpeter and would find greater opportunities to learn
and perform there. Second, from a financial standpoint his parents welcomed one fewer dependent.23
Mndez persuaded a local landowner to loan him
enough money for the move, convincing the man that
he had the talent to succeed in the United States and
the honesty to repay the debt.24
Mndez crossed the border and passed through
United States Customs on June 26, 1926. He had
decided to move to Gary, Indiana because one of his
cousins and a few friends from Mexico worked there
in a steel mill, and he hoped that their presence
would help him adjust to life in the United States. He
remained in Gary for about four months, working 12hour shifts shoveling coal into the mills furnaces,25
and living in a community of Mexicans, most of whom
Rafael knew from earlier years. He felt comfortable
in this Mexican ghetto, but had little motivation to
learn English. The difficult labor and primitive working conditions of the steel mills left minimal time for
him to practice music; but one day, while celebrating
a Mexican holiday, Rafaels friends asked him to play
a song for them on his trumpet. Later in his life,
Rafael and Amor wedding photo.
remembering the event, Rafael said, My hands were

so thick and calloused from working in the mills that
I couldnt play well. Right then, I decided that I must
quit that work and devote my life to music.26 Soon
thereafter, Rafael moved to Flint, Michigan, where
there were more musical opportunities.
Upon his arrival in Flint, he gained employment
at the Buick Company auto plant and organized a
group of fellow musicians, who also were employed at
the plant, to perform for the other workers.27 After a
few months in Flint, Rafael spent a Sunday afternoon in a park listening to one of the factory bands
give a concert. Rafael spoke little English at this
point, but on a whim he walked to the bandstand and
pointed to a trumpet, asking to play with the band.
Everyone in the band laughed at him, and to play a
joke, the band members had him sit in on one of the
pieces. They pulled up a difficult circus march, and
Rafael, knowing the work very well from his past
performances with Mexican circus bands, easily performed it. The owner of the plant had attended the
concert, and afterwards asked Mndez if he had enjoyed performing in the band. When Rafael answered
that he did, the owner told Rafael to meet him at his
office the following morning. At that meeting, the

owner presented Mndez with a trumpet and asked
him to play in the company band full-time. From that
point on, Rafael never worked in the factory again.28
Detroit Years
While in Flint, Mndez heard constantly about the
many job prospects in Detroit, and after a short time
he decided to try his luck there. He borrowed some
money and moved to Detroit, but since he had only
lived in the United States a short time, few people
knew of Rafael and his talent. The Depression had
come into full swing, and he had difficulty finding a
job.29 One Saturday afternoon, shortly after moving
there, he decided to explore the city. While Rafael
stood outside of a music store looking at the new
trumpets in the window, an ambitious salesman attempted to sell Rafael a horn. Mndez barely had
enough money to live on, so he answered in his best
English, I can play it, but I cant buy it.30 The
salesman, still hopeful of a sale, asked him to play.
At the same moment, a local bandleader named Russ
Morgan exited from the Capitol Theater across the
street and happened to hear Rafael. Coincidentally,
he needed another trumpeter, so he walked over and
asked Rafael if he could read music, which of course
he could. Morgan auditioned him on the spot,31 offered Mndez the job, and loaned him the money for
the trumpet. 32 The following Monday morning,
Mndez arrived at his first rehearsal with the Capitol Theater Orchestra and signed a contract as solo
trumpet, for $125 per week.33 During this and other
jobs in the theaters, Mndez learned English by listening to the actors, piecing together what they said,
and putting it to use in casual conversations.34
As his reputation spread, opportunities quickly
arose for Rafael in the Detroit area. In his first months
in Detroit, he performed with Morgan,35 the Ford
Orchestra as needed, and also worked with a Ger-
man oom-pah band for several weeks. After he had

lived in town for about three months, he won a job
with the Fox Theater Orchestra, which was the largest theater orchestra in Detroit. He played solo trumpet in the Fox Theater Orchestra, often conducting
one piece on the Sunday matinee, and soloing with
the orchestra during intermissions.
Rafael practiced at every opportunity, even if only
for a few minutes. He habitually practiced between
each of the four one-and-a-half hour shows per day at
the Fox Theater, sometimes becoming so insistent
about his practice time that he angered the other
orchestra members. As his colleagues became progressively more incensed at his constant practice,
they decided to play a practical joke. Rafael practiced
in the basement of the theater between shows. The
orchestra members pulled the plug on the lights,
leaving Rafael in total darkness. Thinking they had
foiled his attempt to practice, they celebrated their
success with uncontrolled laughter, but 10 minutes
later they heard him practicing again. He had found
a candle to light, and had resumed his diligent work
exactly where he had stopped when his friends interrupted him.36
The Lip Injury
Rafaels career as a musician in Detroit flourished
until 1932, when, while playing with the Fox Theater
Orchestra, he sustained a major lip injury. The orchestra performed on a rising pit. Mndezs seat was
by the only doorway, so he always entered the pit last.
He usually warmed up in the rehearsal room until
everyone left, and then took his seat in the pit. One
day, a tardy bass player opened a swinging door and
hit Rafaels trumpet while he was warming up, which
caused a laceration through the lip, from the epidermis
to the mucosa. Despite the cut, he finished the show.
He continued to perform for days after the accident,
which caused him to form bad habits and prevented
the wound from healing. Because of the unavailability of antibiotics and useful therapy, the laceration
became infected, and a fistula between the mucosa
and skin developed. He continued to play, but the
infection worsened, which resulted in great frustration, pain, and impaired performance ability.37 Rafael
recounted the incident in an interview with H.M. Lewis:
I had six operations and little by little after
every operation I just couldnt get back to my
playing. Finally I couldnt play at all. So I
went back to Mexico and first I looked for a
lot of teachers from over here, in this country. I went to Schlossberg, to Clarke, to Smith,
to Maggio all the teachers that I knew at
the time and I still couldnt get to play. The
wound was already chronic, like I couldnt
think that I would be able to heal. So I went

to Mexico and I met a doctor over there who
promised he would cure me. He said, I dont
promise that you will be able to play again,
but I will cure you. So he burned the abscess
with an electric drill right in my lip. It was
right opposite my nostril. It looked like I had
three nostrils. Horrible! Then he told me, I
am going to show it to you but dont panic.
When I saw it I almost fainted. He said, In a
month you wont see it, you wont notice what
happened. And it was true. A month later,
as he said, it was healed, only it was numb
and I couldnt play at all. I mean, I couldnt
get a sound for about two or three months. I
went back to my father who was my original
teacher and he got me back in business.38
After 9 months, he began practicing using different spots of the mouth, and soon developed many
different embouchures. Eventually, this ability to use
a new embouchure when his lips tired gave him tremendous endurance. Later in his career he amazed
his colleagues by his ability to make an embouchure
change instantaneously.
Returning to Detroit
After about one year, Rafael returned to Detroit
and worked at the Stevens Hotel for his friend Carlos
Molina. Eventually, the lip returned to its previous
state. Rafael auditioned for a job and won as solo first
trumpet at the Michigan Theater in Detroit.39
In the endeavor to develop his embouchure and
increase his range, Mndez took two lessons from
Herbert L. Clarke. The first occurred after Rafaels
embouchure injury in 1932. Mndez could barely get
a sound and Clarke could not help him. The second
time, March 12, 1938, in Long Beach, Rafael played
for Clarke, looking for pointers. Clarke asked to hear
Carnival of Venice and other Arban etudes. Rafael
must have impressed him, as Clarke said there was
nothing he could teach him. Clarke autographed
Mndezs 1915 edition of Clarkes Characteristic Studies and wrote, Hoping to hear you play the contents
of this book.40 From that point on, Clarke always
admired Rafael and helped promote his career,41 even
admitting that Mndezs range, velocity, precision,
and breath control would make the world forget all
the rest of us.42
Mndez Meets Rudy Vallee
In 1933, Mndez continued his tradition of playing
solos during intermissions at the Michigan Theater
where many famous bandleaders of the era, including Rudy Vallee, heard him perform.43 After attend 1999 International Trumpet Guild
ing a show, Vallee asked Rafael to come to New York

and play in the band on his show. Vallee made him
an offer he could not refuse, so Rafael and his wife,
Amor, prepared to move to New York. After arriving
in New York, Rafael discovered that the musicians
union rules required a one-year waiting period before
becoming eligible for a union card. Disappointed by
this setback, Rafael and Amor returned to Detroit.
As a token of his good faith and intent to use Rafael
in his band, Vallee sent a monthly check to the
Mndezes,44 but Rafael returned each check. During
this one-year period, Rafael began to solo with various orchestras and on popular radio shows.
After a year, the Mndezes returned to New York,
and Rafael performed with Vallee and various pit
orchestras in the New York area.45 With Vallees
band he played first trumpet. Randy Brooks performed the second trumpet solos.46 During the 1930s,
Rafael earned upwards of $350 per week and about
$17,000 per year. He and Amor lived in Jackson
Heights, New York, in an apartment complex area
along with many other famous musicians. While in
Jackson Heights, Rafael and Amor conceived their
only children, the twin sons Ralph (Rafael, Jr.) and
Robert. Near the end of 1937, Amor returned to Detroit to be near her family when she gave birth to the
twins.47
Freelancing in Los Angeles

While Amor lived in Detroit, Rafael performed
with Vallees orchestra at the Coconut Grove in Hollywood, California, and fell in love with the area, due
to its similarity to the Mexican land of his childhood.48 Rafael decided to remain there, bought a
home, and began freelancing.49 Amor moved to Los
Angeles to live with Rafael in 1938, when Ralph and
Robert were about six months old.50
Rafael first gained employment in Los Angeles on
the staff of radio station KHJ, the Mutual Broadcasting System. Don Lee, of MBS, encouraged Rafael to
remain in Los Angeles and join his radio networks
orchestra.51 It was during these shows that Mndez
praise began to sing from coast to coast. However, his
greatest fame, came from the sensational solos he
played on the Al Pierce Camel show with the Carl
Hoff orchestra. He was also heard on the Union Oil
show on Mondays.52 In addition, he worked for other
radio shows, recording dates, and nightclub performances prior to moving to MGM Studios.53
Despite his growing reputation, and perhaps due
to his embouchure injury, Rafael never felt secure
with his ability to perform in the upper register.
Ballads and other lyrical passages troubled him as
well. In the late 1930s, in an effort to correct these
problems, Mndez began his studies with Louis

Maggio. Maggio worked with Mndez on the fundamentals of trumpet performance, concentrating on
pedal tones and articulation exercises from Arbans
Complete Conservatory Method for the Cornet.54 In
fact, according to Mndez, Maggio based his system
of trumpet practice on Mndezs pedal tone warmups and routines.55 During these lessons, Rafael met
and befriended his colleague and future replacement
at MGM Studios, Uan Rasey. Rasey and Mndez
frequently worked together in Los Angeles, performing at MGM, and recording jingles and soundtracks,
including a jingle for Gilmore Oil in 1943. Rafael
amazed Rasey with his ability to use solfeggio and to
transpose to any key. In 1939, Harold Mitchell, second trumpet with MGM Studios, resigned from MGM.
Nat Fenstein, of MGM Studios, hired Mndez to perform second trumpet behind Mannie Klein.56
On July 26, 1940, after 14 years of success and
accomplishments, Mndez received his United States
citizenship from the Department of Labor in Los
Angeles.57
During the 1940s, Mndez recorded albums for
Pan American, Azteca, Peleayz Recordings, and Coast
Records. Charles Koff arranged many of the songs
from the Coast recordings, but he and Rafael disagreed on who had actually arranged some of the
songs. This disagreement led to the eventual end of
their friendship and working relationship.
Rafael had always harbored feelings of frustration

that the trumpet literature lacked legitimate concert
solos and did not offer vehicles with which to express
the artistic abilities of the instrument. He felt that
the trumpet had wrongly been categorized as a supporting instrument, and hoped by strength of his
example to reclassify it as a solo instrument, along
with the piano and violin. In his attempt to accomplish this, he began to adapt violin solos for trumpet
by transcribing or transposing them for trumpet. His
first few albums reflected this attempt to legitimize
the trumpet.58
A Growing Reputation
In 1941, after Pearl Harbor, Mannie Klein was
drafted into military service, and at Kleins request, Mndez replaced him as the principal trumpet player for MGM Studios.59 His MGM contract
stated he must provide 500 hours per year of service to the studio, but after the initial 500 hours
he could work outside the studio as much as he
desired. The work at MGM included a substantial
amount of nighttime recording work. The studio
also featured its up-and-coming stars at Hollywood Bowl concerts, accompanied by studio musicians. A mid-1940s program featured Xavier Cugat,
Elenor Powell, Jane Powell, Mario Lonza, and
Rafael Mndez. A Decca Records representative
Rafael Mndezs Certificate of Naturalization.
attended the concert and later signed Mndez to a

contract for 12 albums. Mndez began recording
the albums in the late 1940s.
During this time, Mndez continued his work with
MGM, but he also performed on many of the nationally broadcast radio programs. His performances included the Bing Crosby Show (1940), two seasons as
featured soloist on the Red Skelton and Al Pearce
shows,60 and guest appearances on the Horace Height
Show and Kay Kayser Show. Around 1946-47, when
television became popular in Los Angeles, he performed as a guest soloist on the Spade Cooley Show,
Art Linkletter Show, and Ray Noble Show,61 as well
as featured spots on Milton Berles Texaco Star Theatre and Francis Langfords Star Time show.
Around 1945, Rafael met Caroll Cambern, who
represented the music publisher Carl Fischer. Fischer
signed him to a contract for his arrangements and
compositions, to record the Arban articulation exer 1999 International Trumpet Guild
cises, and to write a book, Prelude To Brass Playing,

about how to play the trumpet.62
Until this time, Carlos Gastell had acted as Rafaels
agent. When MCA Bookings offered Rafael a contract
with its agency, he declined. After much thought,
Rafael ended his working relationship with Gastell,
and asked Caroll Cambern to be his agent. Cambern
had the connections necessary to begin and maintain
a successful solo career. The two formed Mndez
Bookings, which did business mainly out of the
Mndez home.63
In March 1949,64 Rafael became the first trumpeter to ever present a full symphony concert with
the Denver Symphony,65 and followed this concert
with an appearance with the San Diego Symphony
Orchestra on April 22, 1949.66 This marked the beginning of many future solo engagements with other
major symphonies, including the Los Angeles Symphony and the New York Philharmonic.
A Blessing in Disguise
Throughout Mndezs years with MGM, differing
concepts of tone and vibrato caused problems in the
trumpet section. Mndezs sound and vibrato did not
match the style desired by the conductor; and after a
ten-year alliance, MGM fired Rafael, replacing him
with his close friend Uan Rasey in September of
1949. This sudden turn of events devastated Mndez.
His son Robert remembered the event. I still remember sitting in the living room as my dad discussed the events that led up to the firing and we all
shared in his keen sense of disappointment.67
After leaving MGM Studios in 1949, Rafael continued to appear on numerous television and radio programs as a guest artist. He performed on shows such
as the Loretta Young Show, Kraft Music Hall, Red
Skelton Show, Art Linkletter Show, Dinah Shore
Show, and Pinky Lee Show,68 and later in his career
with Radio Belgrano (Argentina, 1957), Ed Sullivan
(1960), and the Stan Kenton Show (1970).69 Many
times he appeared as a soloist, but often he performed a trumpet trio with his twin sons. In the late
1950s, the three made a guest appearance on the
popular television show Art Linkletters House Party.
Rafael performed the third trumpet part to the Tre
Mndez Polka, with Ralph playing first trumpet and
Robert on second.70
Beginning a Solo Career
The firing from MGM, combined with the successes of his recent solo performances, resulted in
Mndez beginning a career as a concert soloist.71 His
recordings with Coast and Decca already had made
Rafael well-known, so with a stellar reputation and
substantial publicity, Mndez began his solo career.
In New York, for one of his first solo engagements,
Mndez performed a series of concerts at the Paramount Theater with Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme.
This time, Mndez had not achieved the same notoriety on the East Coast that he had on the West. His
appearance on the same ticket with Fitzgerald and
Torme was an honor, but when the announcer introduced Mndez as the worlds greatest trumpeter,
the audience laughed. He showed the audience his
brilliant technique and proved that he deserved the
title.72
Cambern had contacts in the Salt Lake City area
and arranged Rafaels first guest appearance with
the Salt Lake City Symphony in 1949. Soon he began
to make solo appearances with other small symphony
orchestras throughout the United States. About the
same time, he began to perform as a soloist with
college and university orchestras, and later with university concert bands.73 According to his brother-in-
law Alfonso Rodriguez, Rafael was never idle. He

was always preparing for his next appearance. He
had little time away from his music.74
In his first year as soloist he played about 20 concerts, the second year he played 50, and by his third
and following years he performed over 100 concerts
and turned down another 200. Most of the performances involved large high school bands in the Midwest, college bands, and college orchestras. By the
end of his solo career he had performed with nearly
every major university in the United States, at
Carnegie Hall, and in every major concert hall in
Europe and Canada.75 Rafael declared, My goal is to
make the trumpet a concert instrument. Ive transcribed violin concertos in order to make them trumpet pieces.76
Mndez also believed he could help improve the
education and development of the children in our
society. He felt that by inspiring children to play a
musical instrument, he could instill a sense of discipline in the childs character:
I am sure all superintendents of schools will
agree with me that no youngster regularly
playing a musical instrument becomes a juvenile delinquent. These children, particularly those playing in bands and orchestras,
are receiving discipline which is essential in
building character.77
By the early 1950s, Mndez had made a nationwide reputation for himself. As a result of his reputation, Besson, a well-known trumpet manufacturer,
competed with F.E. Olds & Son, the largest marketer
of trumpets at that time, to hire Mndez as a clinician for their company. Besson offered Rafael a contract to serve as a consultant to the company, along
with a $5000 signing bonus. Rafael had already received the check and intended to sign with Besson,
but when he returned home he had another surprise.
Olds offered Mrs. Mndez a beautiful mink coat and
a $10,000 signing bonus. Rafael could not take away
the coat from Amor, so he returned the check to
Besson and signed with Olds.78 However, as a term
of acceptance, Mndez insisted that Olds manufacture a copy of his Besson B-flat trumpet. The contract was signed, and Amor had a new fur coat.79 The
contract with Olds specified that the Mndezes would
receive $6000 per year in royalties for the use of the
Mndez name on Olds trumpets.80
A Concert Soloist
A typical year for Mndez in the early 1950s until
the mid-1960s included weekly performances with
various symphonies, university and high school orchestras, and concert bands from January to early
June. During these months he performed at between
Tre Mndez, Ralph, Rafael, & Robert.
100 and 125 concerts throughout the United States.

He enjoyed the performances with high school bands,
even though the quality may not have equaled that of
the university or professional groups. Usually the
band began rehearsing the accompaniments to the
Mndez solos one month prior to his arrival. Before
Rafael played along with the band he always wanted
to make sure the accompaniment knew what he
would do, musically, with the solos. He typically
arrived the day before the concert and rehearsed
with the group for six to eight hours in preparation of four or five solo accompaniments, conducting each phrase and coaching the band until the
students felt comfortable with the music.81 Bill
Flaherty, a friend of Mndez, describes a typical
day on a Mndez tour:
He usually got up at about 7:00 AM and left
about 8:00 AM to get to the school by 8:30.
Rafael always got in a careful warm-up and
then started rehearsing. The rehearsals were
unbelievable because of the way he played
and directed at the same time. Many times
he would be playing and stop the band because he heard a wrong note in the horns. He
had an unbelievable ear. They usually re 1999 International Trumpet Guild
hearsed until it was time for the lunch break.

After lunch he would rehearse each piece
quickly and make a few finishing touches,
followed by a question-answer session for the
kids. Rafael had a tremendous sense of humor, and the kids loved him. About 2:30 PM
they went back to the hotel, sipped a couple
vodka martinis, and talked about all subjects
jokes, religion, etc. Rafael took a nap at
about 4:30 PM, woke up and went out for a
steak dinner, then to the concert.82
In the early-to-mid-1950s, for an appearance in
the music education field, he charged $350, plus round
trip airfare and local expenses. If a school presented
two public concerts, his fee was $600, and for one
concert plus a student body appearance, the fee was
$500. The advertisement brochure that Mndez Bookings sent to prospective high schools stated that if
two schools in the same proximity wished to present
concerts in close sequence, the schools could divide
his airfare.83
Mndez asked that the band schedule two of his
solos before intermission and two after, usually in a
specific order. He mandated that on a concert day,
the rehearsal should begin after 10:00 AM, and folFebruary, 1999 / ITG Journal 13
lowing this rehearsal, if desired, Mndez would sign

one program for each band member.84
He always marveled at the ability of the high
school bands to adjust to new ideas so easily. According to J. Robert Menchey, retired owner of Menchey
Music Service, His rehearsal style was just what
[was] needed he inspired the kids to play way
beyond their usual level it was amazing. He also
made believers of administrators some were lukewarm to his appearances, but if they attended a
rehearsal, they were sold! He was very easy to work
with.85
On the afternoon of Mndezs second day at a
school, he would present a clinic, inviting students,
music educators, and interested community members. These clinics, which he gave wherever he did a
solo appearance, made Rafael Mndez a household
name with thousands of young musicians throughout
the United States. A typical clinic consisted of Mndez
performing a few songs, and discussion of typical
problems of trumpet playing, including ideas on the
improvement of breath control, mouthpiece selection,
instrument care and maintenance, tone quality, use of
the diaphragm, and tonguing, along with a demonstration of circular breathing. He usually concluded the
clinic by stating that the greatest talent in the world
cannot develop without hard work and practice.86
Throughout his career, Mndez demonstrated his
unusual ability to communicate with and inspire children. In rehearsals and clinics he bridged the gap
between himself as a professional and the students:
He projected his own enjoyment of music,
plus his interest in disciplined and artful playing. When he detected an off-key note he left
his directors chair and intoned the right
sound with his trumpet. He teased. He joked.
But the students knew Mndez to be exacting
a perfectionist.87
In June, he finished his concert season and began
touring in Canada, Europe, and Mexico with his family. Rafael considered this his way of educating his
sons by experience. He booked a tour in at least one
new country every year to supplement his sons educational experiences. The Mndez family toured Europe regularly, beginning in June 1954.88 They spent
summers in Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark,
England, France, Mexico, and Canada, and performed
regularly with Xavier Cugat and Abbie Lane. In the
summers of 1954 and 1955, Robert, Ralph, and Rafael
performed 90 concerts in 90 days.
Rafael seldom performed in Mexico, but he did
play in Mexico City at the Bellas Artes (Palace of the
Fine Arts) for President Miguel Aleman Valdez of
Mexico. He toured South America once, going to
Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and So Paolo; and he
recorded some of his albums in Madrid, Spain. On
these summer tours Rafael either performed as the

soloist with a few other guest performers, or he served
as musical director and soloist.
After the summer tours, in September and October, he recorded his albums for Decca Records, and
performed on many radio and television shows. By
December, Rafael usually needed a vacation, so he
would go to Mexico to visit his family and return to
California in time for Christmas.
Rafaels trips to Mexico led to meetings with many
of the famous and powerful Mexican leaders of the
era. He already knew the family of former president
Cardenas from his childhood in Jiquilpan. He also
met Lazaro, leader of the Partido Revolucionario
Institucional, and became friends with the family of
General Henrique Guzman, leader of the opposition
party. These connections gave him insight into the
interesting circles of politicians and military men of
Mexico,89 and led to numerous performances for important Mexican politicians. For instance, during the
presidency of Lic. Miguel Aleman Valdez, Mndez
received a personal invitation to perform in the Palace of the Fine Arts, accompanied by the National
Symphony of Mexico. The president presented Rafael
with a gift and expressed great admiration for his
performance.90 At the Chinese Palace in Mexico City,
Rafael performed in a concert for Musicians Day.91
He had several concerts supported by Ron Potrero, a
Mexican television show host, in which Robert and
Ralph participated in a trio with their father.92
Mndezs showmanship became almost as much of
a trademark of his performances as his brilliant technique. According to William Shulhan, a music store
owner in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who attended
numerous Mndez concerts, Mndez performances
always had great audience appeal:
From his snappy walk out on stage to front
the band or orchestra the way in which he
would bring the trumpet up to playing position was distinctly Mndez as well as the way
in which he withdrew the trumpet from his
lips at the conclusion of his number. Mr.
Mndez easily found suitable words of expression to his audience for maximum enjoyment.93
The reputation of Mndez and his showmanship
spread rapidly, and as he became famous he earned
more money; but due to his extravagant spending
habits, Amor handled the finances in the Mndez
family. When Rafael received a check, he turned it
over to Amor and she did with it whatever she felt
necessary. Amor spent and invested the money wisely.
At the peak of his career, he made over $100,000 per
year, plus significantly more from royalties. For concerts, Rafael always had a guarantee to half the
house, and seldom played to less than a full house
because the concerts always received substantial publicity. In many instances, up to 3,000 people attended
a concert in high school gyms.94
The Trumpet Film

A highlight of his career came in 1956 when Mndez
made a 16mm audio-visual presentation for Mills
Picture Corporation. The film belonged to part of a
series entitled Concerts on Film, in which many of
the most famous musicians of the era made presentations for their specific instruments. Musicians who
recorded performances in the series included Jascha
Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky, Artur Rubenstein, Andres
Segovia, Marian Anderson, Pablo Casals, and
Mndez.95 These films, available for purchase from
Mills Picture Corporation, enhanced educational settings, such as high school bands, public libraries, or
universities, by making it possible for students to
witness many of the great musicians of the twentieth
century.96
Mndezs presentation opens with a performance
of his own composition, Scherzo in D Minor, followed
by a brief explanation of the history of the trumpet.
Mndez then describes his family history and personal background. After a performance of the third
movement of Haydns Trumpet Concerto, he supplies
practice tips, stressing the importance of scales.
Mndez performs Flight of the Bumblebee to demonstrate the result of scale practice, then discusses the
importance of purity of tone. He says, Never use
more effort to produce a tone than you do in ordinary
conversation.97 He suggests improving breath control by swimming under water, walking, and pushing
yourself on the instrument by playing long passages
without a breath. He shows his own breath control by
performing a 36-second excerpt in one breath, using
very fast triple-tonguing articulations. The film ends
with a performance of Gypsy Airs and the Tre-Mndez
Polka, a trio with his sons.98 All the solos were recorded with orchestral accompaniment.
The Educator
Hawaii became one of Rafaels favorite touring
places. He consistently returned there to perform
with the University of Hawaii band and local high
school bands. Mndez even wrote Diamond Head
March for a special occasion while in Hawaii.99 The
Hawaiian residents gave the march a favorable reception. In 1960, Mndez performed with a band
consisting of members of the University of Hawaii
band and local Oahu high schools. A review of the
concert said,
Senor [sic] Mndez combines showmanship

and the virtuoso flair with infectious personal charm, and with such warmth for the
boys and girls playing with him that they in
turn are ready to play their hearts out for
him. The pieces that he played were all dazzlers, including his own Samba Gitana and
a waltz, his transcriptions of the Gypsy dance
from Carmen and The Flight of the Bumblebee, and his super-variations on the variations on The Carnival of Venice. The
program concluded with Mndez delightfully
leading the delighted band in his new Diamond Head March.100
On this same trip, Rafael gave a clinic for approximately 1,000 young musicians at the Farrington High
School auditorium. The children packed the auditorium, and kept the clinic moving at a fast pace by
bobbing up from their chairs to ask questions on
everything from breath control to lip development.101 During the clinic Mndez demonstrated
how to build technique by practicing slow, simple
scales, and fired up the youngsters with an hourlong musical pep talk.102 Later that year, on March
12, Mndez performed as guest soloist with the North
High band of Phoenix, Arizona. The band director,
Charles Craig, referred to Mndezs technique, tone,
and breath control as the most fantastic thing youve
ever seen. It will amaze people who are not musicians, and people who are, find it hard to believe.103
After a concert, the audience and band members
often surrounded Rafael, seeking autographs. He always opened himself up to conversations with enthusiastic audience members from the concert, especially when it concerned his playing or music or people
he knew, or other musicians.104 Harold Higa, a friend
of the Mndezes and fellow musician, relates an occurrence following a concert in Hawaii:
After a superb concert which inspired a standing ovation, Ralph [Rafael] was back stage
surrounded by dozens of student autograph
seekers. He was perspiring while literally
trapped in a maze of stage props, music
stands, and percussion equipment, plus the
inevitable backstage clutter. Realizing how
tired he must be, I took it upon myself to try
to rescue him from the obligatory annoyance
required of a celebrity. I thought I was doing
him a favor when I called him away from the
crowd. When he discovered it was just a ploy
to rescue him from the autograph seekers, he
was upset. He said, Oh no, I dont mind this
at all, and went back into the admiring crowd.
To Rafael Mndez, the master musician encouraging students in any way was as much
a part of an artistic commitment as was the
inspiration that he generated through his performance.105

After an April 10, 1959, concert in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Mrs. Mndez received numerous letters from
band members, the school administration, and other
community members, describing their appreciation
for Rafaels music and his congenial personality. The
following letter, from Caralyn Schilt of Muskogee,
Oklahoma, is an example of the impression Mndez
made upon the people he met:
Tension rose the day he arrived we were all
expecting the worst [sic]; a terribly particular
musician who would have no patience with
us. Now as I think about the time the band
spent with him I can see only a friendly atmosphere. In my opinion, Mr. Mndez is one
of the nicest, most sincere persons I have
ever met. I have never before been acquainted
with such a gracious person. I feel the band
as a whole has come to be more mature in
their attitude toward their music because of
him.106
Another letter from Albert E. Bonnell, Jr., a member of the Board of Education of Muskogee, expresses
the appreciation for Mndezs inspirational concert:
Your being here is one of the greatest things
that has happened to Muskogee in a musical
way. The impact of your performance and the
human-like feeling you left with all whom
you came in contact will serve as a stimulus
and an inspiration to these young people for
the rest of their lives.107
The musical motivation that Mndez gave the students from Muskogee was exactly Rafaels purpose
when he began his solo career. Performing hundreds
of concerts every year and leaving the students and
community members with an inspired feeling perhaps constituted Mndezs greatest contribution to
the trumpet world. Many students, after hearing a
Mndez performance, pursued careers in music, while
others considered his performance an experience that
I will never forget.108 By soloing with hundreds of
bands and orchestras every year, Mndez was able to
raise the performance level of trumpeters by inspiring them to achieve, through dedicated practice, as
much as possible on the instrument. In addition, he
achieved his goal of making the trumpet an accepted
solo instrument of the concert hall.
As much as the students enjoyed Mndezs presence, Mndez enjoyed the concerts and clinics, and
the chance to instill enthusiasm in young men and
women even more, as this statement testifies:
On my concert tour through schools, colleges
and universities each year, I find myself
keenly anticipating the clinics and the afterrehearsal-get-togethers where I talk shop with
the young musicians. Their enthusiasm is

infectious and I get a tremendous lift from
the interest they show, both in music, and in
raising the standard of their playing.109
Performing with Roy Rogers
Perhaps the appearances that brought Mndez the
most national recognition were his live shows with
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans throughout the late 1950s
and 60s. Many times Rafael included his sons in the
performance. A typical program consisted of the usual
Western-style singing act by Rogers and Evans, with
appearances by various acrobatic and singing groups.
Although sometimes not included on the audiences
programs, possibly due to either lack of space or
simply an oversight, Mndez acted as music director,
appeared as a guest artist, and wrote much of the
music for the show. The Rafael Mndez Library in
the Arizona State University music building contains
a copy of the Roy Rogers Show Overture, composed by
Mndez. In a letter to the Hollywood Historic Trust,
Roy Rogers stated that Mndez conducted the orchestra, arranged the music, and was the featured
soloist for many years with the Roy Rogers Show. He
appeared in front of record crowds at the majority of
the state fair arena and stage shows in the United
States and Canada, and received standing ovations
practically everywhere.110
Prelude to Brass Playing
Health Problems
At this point in his career, Rafael had composed and

arranged hundreds of trumpet solos and trios, many of
which were published by Carl Fischer, Inc. Although
he had a long association with Fischer, the company
did not always find his work suitable for publication.111
In 1961, Fischer published his book Prelude to
Brass Playing. The book covers all aspects of training
necessary for beginning brass instrument students;
but Mndez intended for parents to read the book as
well, enabling them to assist in the instruction and
encouragement of their child. He arranged the book
into 11 chapters with 4 appendices, an introduction,
and a brief summary. Each chapter covers a different
aspect of the brass performance. The following review appeared in the Music Educators Journal:
Mr. Mndez, throughout, stresses intelligent,
concentrated practice upon the part of the
ambitious student, coupled with the formation of correct habits of playing. The usual
problems attendant upon studying the brass
instrumentsproper breathing, correct embouchure formation, intonation, tone development, register controlare treated with
patient and sound advice. Appendices give a
brief history of brass instruments, principles
of transposition, and advice relating to pupil,
parent, and teacher. The book is written in a
rather breezy style which high school students will find attractive. Still, along with its
informality, Mr. Mndez has significant things
to say to the student; and teachers of brass
instruments will find this a valuable supplementary aid for teaching.112
Although not all reviews of the book praised it, all
reviewers agreed that it contained valid and useful
material for most beginning brass students. After
criticizing Mndezs writing style, one reviewer comments on his points about physical development:
Its juvenile approach notwithstanding, Prelude
to brass playing [sic] is surprisingly stimulating and thought provoking. This reviewer cannot say that she enjoyed reading it, but she is
glad she did. For, whether a buzzer or a nonbuzzer, Mr. Mndez should make us realize
how hastily we jump into the playing and teaching of a brass instrument and how often we
neglect the proper physical development of the
lungs and lips a development which in many
ways is more easily and properly done before
the instrument is actually taken in hand. Just
how many youngsters would be willing to spend
three weeks breathing and buzzing before ever
playing a note is a question, but its answer
deserves some serious thought.113
Throughout Mndezs career until the mid-1950s,

Rafael remained in excellent health. However, allergies and hives had occasionally bothered him, and
Amor always considered the jalapeo peppers, which
she called Mexican hot stuff, the cause of Rafaels
hives. I hope just because the doctor says your [sic]
alright [sic] you wont [sic] start drinking that Mexican poison or eating Mexican hot stuff. You know
that is something you dont need.114 Periodically,
when Rafael ate jalapeo peppers the hives became
irritating enough to force him temporarily to quit
playing the trumpet.115 He had severe allergic reactions to pollens and molds, for which he took antihistamines. During a performance in Chicago, Rafael
had a severe allergic attack and asked Ralph to play
La Virgen de La Macarena while Rafael conducted.
By 1956, the intensity of his reactions had worsened, which caused breathing problems and affected
his trumpet performance. He still traveled often, and
performed and recorded constantly; but occasionally
the allergies would force Mndez to postpone a performance or find a substitute.
Now in his early 50s, Mndez frequently contracted
upper respiratory infections and gradually became
more tired. Although he certainly did not need to
work, he would not turn down a request for a performance or other appearance; and at about age 54 (ca.
1960) he caught a severe respiratory infection while at
a concert in the Midwest. The illness forced him to
postpone a portion of his concert tour.
In 1962 he went to San Francisco to solo with the
San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Robert and Ralph
saw him and thought he looked very tired; so they
recommended that he slow down and maybe give up
some of his concert dates. However, Rafael refused,
saying he had a hard time declining concert dates or
other requests. That night he performed with the
orchestra, but following the concert became ill, so his
sons took him home to Encino. He developed chronic
bronchitis, which eventually led to bronchial asthma.
Rafael visited many specialists, and after several
differing opinions, the diagnosis was allergic bronchitis and allergic asthma. The doctors wanted to put
him on steroids to lessen the effects of the illnesses.
Rafael refused at first, but he began to have extremely bad attacks, almost to the point of death.
By 1964 Rafaels health necessitated a change in
lifestyle. The asthma occasionally became so acute
that it required hospitalization. Several doctors saw
him, including pulmonary specialists from the University of California at San Francisco, the Mayo Clinic,
and specialists from Los Angeles, but none of the
doctors had any useful recourse for the asthma. Since
it began to dramatically affect his trumpet playing,
he consented to the steroids. The steroid therapy

lasted until his death and completely changed his
physical appearance, causing him to gain weight,
develop vertebrae collapses, a buffalo hump, and osteoporosis, which forced him to bend over and appear
shorter. He also formed a pot belly and steroid face.
Later in 1964, his illness forced Rafael to retire
temporarily from concertizing. During this time requests kept coming. In spite of his illness, he desperately wanted to continue performing, so the Mndez
family tried to get him to cultivate other interests.
He enjoyed conducting, but missed the stage and the
soloist spotlight. He tried teaching, but found it extremely boring and did not like it. In Los Angeles, he
never taught anyone consistently for more than two
months except for Henry Miranda. In 1966, he decided to return to the concert soloist stage.116
Amor & Rafael Mndez.
Mndezs Final Performances

Fulfilling the Decca Records Contract
Despite succeeding in his return to a solo career,
Mndez had numerous obstacles to overcome. The
recording of many of the Decca Records albums took
place after Mndez contracted asthma, in the mid1960s. Decca asked Charles (Bud) Dant to produce
the additional albums with Rafael, beginning in 1964,
and complete them as soon as possible. When Mndez
and Dant met to discuss the recordings, Rafael explained that he could not complete the contract due
to the breathing problems caused by his serious asthmatic condition. Dant, excited about the project, asked
Mndez if he would attempt to record despite his
health. Thus, with the help of a multi-track tape
recorder, they completed the album, Rafael Mndez
and Laurindo Almeida: Together, which became one
of Mndezs best selling albums. A reviewer called
the album ten bands of unimpeachable perfection,117
and described the recording as one of the best he had
heard in years: Its more than words can describe.
Simply everything about this album takes off with
more precision, range, delicacy, technique, and velocity than Ive ever heard assembled on one recording
in many years.118
Following the album with Almeida, Mndez and
Dant completed Concerto for Mndez, using symphony
orchestras from South America and Madrid for background music. This album contained a Concertino
written for Mndez by the South American composer
A. Mazzarelli Gilardi to showcase Mndezs brilliant
technique.119 In 1967, Rafael and Amor, along with
Dant, traveled to Spain to finish the recording contract with Decca Records. Using members of the
Madrid Symphony, they recorded the last few albums in a ten-day period. Despite his failing health,
Rafael had fulfilled his Decca contract for twelve
albums.120
Rafael performed with the band from Bill Flahertys

hometown, Hanover, Pennsylvania, for the final time
in 1968. He played A Trumpeters Lullaby by Leroy
Anderson, and Bill could tell something was wrong.
He remembered how distraught Rafael had become
because the asthma would not allow him the breath
control necessary to play the trumpet as well as he
could in earlier years:
At intermission Rafael called for me to come
backstage and said, Bill, Im having an
asthma attack and I can hardly breathe. I
dont know what to do about it. He asked me
to bring him his trumpet case. He had some
100 proof vodka in it and took a big swallow
to gulp it down. This opened his breathing
passages and he was able to continue playing. The next morning at breakfast he asked
me why this was happening to him. He said,
My father is ninety-two years old and still
teaches at two schools in Mexico City. He is
now certain that he cant do what he once
could, but he still has something to give to
those kids. Now Im sixty-two years old and I
can still do things that nobody ever knew I
could do on trumpet. There are things that
some people said I could do that I never could
do on trumpet. But my point is, I know what I
can and cant do, and I know I still have
something to give to those kids. Now why
does the Lord take this away from me?
For a man with his fantastic breath control it
was tragic for him to have this ailment.121
The asthma attacks affected his performance ability in two different ways. First, he needed to rephrase passages that he performed easily in previous
years. Second, the asthma caused him to worry about
the performances, at times resulting in stage fright.
Despite these setbacks, he continued his performances, making necessary alterations in the music.
For instance, occasionally the asthma caused him to
play flat in the upper register, due to his lack of air
support.122
During the early 1970s, Mndez cut his appearances down to a maximum of 30 per year, and started
playing fewer solos on each concert, letting the band
fill in between solos. Despite his health, he continued
performing the same difficult works he always had.
Refusing to give in to the asthma, he kept in shape by
practicing three hours per day, in half-hour segments.123
Until about 1975, Mndez continued performing
as a soloist and television guest artist, but during
this time he felt that his performance level lacked the
brilliance of his earlier career. At times, during a
concert he still showed the amazing technique of his
previous years. A performance in Longmont, Colorado received good reviews, although perhaps not
equal to the many rave reviews from earlier in his
career: Mndezs interaction with the audience was
delightful, proving that he enjoys people and performing. Again he delighted everyone with his onefinger fast Carnival of Venice encore as well as his
brief introductions to each piece.124
Rafaels final performances caused him intense
frustration, and his health severely limited his ability to perform. During Rafaels last few years of concertizing he always carried an inhaler, although his
lungs remained in good shape despite the bronchial
problems. His health caused him to worry before
each performance; and sometimes he resorted to alcohol to help calm himself, since a couple of drinks
before a performance seemed to calm his nerves. At
other times, if he felt that a cadenza might prove too
difficult he changed it at the last minute to enable
himself to perform it. In 1975, Mndez performed his
final concert.125
Retirement
From 1975 to 1981, after retiring from his soloist
career, Mndez still enjoyed the chance to perform on
the trumpet, and socialize with other musicians whenever possible. He continued to play the trumpet in
his own studio and regularly sat in with the Los
Angeles Police Band, enjoying the chance to relax,
talk to other musicians, and play third trumpet.126
Although not a regular, he rehearsed every Monday
night with the Monterey Park Concert Band. When
asked why he enjoyed rehearsing with this band, he
answered, Its good for my lip. One just cant put the
horn down. I love to play.127
Despite his asthma, these later years in Mndezs
life were filled with happiness. During this period,
Amor and Rafael continued to travel frequently to

the places where they had made friends throughout
the years, including Argentina, Mexico, Hawaii, and
throughout the United States. Whenever Mndez returned to Mexico, he enjoyed sitting in with the trumpet section of local Mexican bands. Rafael usually
remained very happy, but occasionally became depressed when his illnesses became more frequent
and severe.128
Composition and recording remained an important aspect of Mndezs life in his later years. He
continued to arrange and rearrange old and new
songs for various ensembles. His studio contained
up-to-date recording equipment that he used to record
many of his arrangements. Mndez played the various instruments required for each number, and overdubbed them with as many as eight tracks to make a
quality recording. Some of these recordings included
Mndez performing on a variety of instruments
trumpet, guitar, stringed bass, and mandolin. Occasionally he even recorded the vocals. Also during this
period, he continued his tradition of writing a song
for a special event in the life of a family member.
In March 1979, on Rafaels 73rd birthday, many of
his friends from the Los Angeles area gave him a
surprise party. The party took place in Studio City,
California at the Sportsmans Lodge, and 527 registered trumpeters attended the celebration. When he
walked into the room they all played Happy Birthday
on their trumpets. During the party, the International Trumpet Guild presented Mndez with a lifetime achievement award and plaque for his contributions to the trumpet world as a performer, composer,
and educator. Many famous trumpeters and other
Hollywood personalities, including Rudy Vallee, attended the event, and paid tribute to their friend and
colleague. Rafael was very moved,129 remembering
the experience as the most beautiful and most tremendous surprise and pleasure that I have ever experienced in my life.130
On September 15, 1981, he swam for a while, went
for a walk, and used an exercise bike. That day his
blood pressure and pulse were very high. Since he
also had shortness of breath, he took a few whiffs
from an inhaler and may have had too much. Rafael
got up in the middle of the night, lay down on the
couch in his studio, and died quietly. Amor discovered him there the next morning. He died of either an
arrhythmia (irregular heart rate) or cerebrovascular
accident (stroke).131
Recognition of an Extraordinary Career
Posthumously, Mndez has received numerous honors, including a star on the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. The star,
Rafaels 73rd birthday party. (Photo by Nelson Hatt)
located in front of the Hollywood Wax Museum, documents his musical contributions to both classical and
commercial mediums. To be awarded a star, the person must receive nominations from numerous celebrities. Celebrities who supported Mndezs nomination included Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Henry Mancini,
Harry James, Ricardo Montalban, and David Rose.
On March 2, 1983, Amor, Robert, Ralph, other family
members, and friends attended the induction ceremony, sponsored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Amor and her sons were presented with a
plaque to commemorate the occasion.
In 1993, the establishment of both the Rafael
Mndez Institute and the Rafael Mndez Library
honored his many contributions and accomplishments
in the brass world. The Rafael Mndez Library, housed
in two rooms in the Arizona State University School
of Music, contains hundreds of Mndezs recordings,
manuscripts, photographs, instruments, newspaper
clippings, and letters. All of the items are catalogued
in the librarys computer. The library showcases many
of the items and contains a large conference table for
research and discussion. In 1994 Summit Books published Magnificent Mndez, a biography of Mndez's
life. Summit Records has re-issued CDs of Mndezs
Decca recordings as a 12-CD set.
During his career, Mndez performed for thousands of people in concert halls around the world.
These concerts proved that trumpeters could perform
with the same virtuosity and musicality that violin 1999 International Trumpet Guild
ists, pianists, and other solo instrumentalists had

exhibited for many years. In doing this, Mndez
achieved his goal of making the trumpet a recognized
concert instrument.
Notes
1
4
5
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8
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12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Robert Mndez, interview by author, 12 May 1992, Los

Angeles, tape recording, transcript in the possession of
Delon Lyren.
Consuelo Mndez, Mexico City, to Delon Lyren, Mesa,
18 November 1991, letter in the possession of Delon
Lyren.
Robert Mndez, interview by author, 14 September 1991,
Los Angeles, tape recording, transcript in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Ralph Mndez, interview by author, 12 September 1991.
David Larson and George Sotter, Rafael Mndez From
Pancho Villa to Paganini, The Instrumentalist 27 (December 1972):26.
Barbara Elliott, I Just Blow, Declares Concert Guest
Trumpeter, The Aberdeen (WA) Daily World, 2 December 1953.
Ibid.
Robert Mndez, interview by author, 12 May 1992.
H.M. Lewis, Rafael Mndez: Trumpeter
Extraordinaire, International Trumpet Guild Newletter
(May 1979):16.
Rafael Mndez, Trumpeter on a Teaching Tour, Music
Journal 10 (September 1952):50.
Rafael Mndez, Prelude To Brass, Music Journal 23
(January 1965):39.
Ibid.
Unsigned, The Boy and the Bandit, Walt Disneys
Magazine 4, No. 6 (1964):42-43.
Ralph Mndez, interview by author, 14 September 1991,
Los Angeles, tape recording, transcript in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Consuelo Mndez Letter, 18 November 1991.
J. M. Tort, La Nueva Era de la Trompeta, Maana, 66,
article located in Rafael Mndez Library, Arizona State
University, Tempe, Arizona.
Robert Mndez, interview by author, 14 September 1991.
Lewis, Rafael Mndez, 13.
Elliot, I Just Blow.
Roy S. Skaggs, Rafael Mndez, Swing 3, No. 5 (November 1940):38.
Larson and Sotter, Rafael Mndez, 28.
Barry Westgate, Nightside; Quirk Of Fate Started Great
Trumpet Career, The Edmonton Journal, 3 October
1966, 39.
Ibid.
Tort, La Nueva Era, 66.
Bill Flaherty, telephone interview by author, 10 Febru-
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
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58
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60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
ary 1993, Hanover, PA, transcript in the possession of

Delon Lyren.
Skaggs, Rafael Mndez.
Herbert L. Clarke, autograph of Rafael Mndezs copy
of Clarkes Characteristic Studies, ed. 1915, 12 March
1932, held in Rafael Mndez Library.
Herbert L. Clarke, from liner notes of Rafael Mndez
and Laurindo Almeida Together, DL 74921.
Michel Laplace, Rafael Mndez, Brass Bulletin, No.
75 (1991):48- 51.
Alfonso Rodriguez, to Delon Lyren, 8 July 1992, letter
in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Unsigned, Rafael Mndez, Famed Trumpet-Player,
Dies, Overture (published by Local 47 of Los Angeles
American Federation of Musicians) 61, No. 7 (November 1981):13.
J.B. Arban, Method for Trombone and Baritone,
autographed by Louis Maggio, 13 May 1937, held in
Rafael Mndez Library.
Rafael Mndez, Interview by various Los Angeles trumpet players, videotape in Rafael Mndez Library.
Uan Rasey, telephone interview by author, 30 December 1992, Transcript in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Certificate of Naturalization #497412 - Pet, #69143,
naturalized in Los Angeles by Department of Labor, 26
July 1940, held in Rafael Mndez Library.
Laplace, Rafael Mndez.
Unsigned, Heifetz of Trumpet To Perform at Col-Hi,
The Columbia Basin News (Richland, WA), 12 March
1954, 12.
Unsigned, Heifetz of Trumpet.
Unsigned, Soloists Symposium, International Musician 47 (April 1949):34.
Ned Powers, For Rafael Mndez, a trumpet is never far
away, Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 5 November 1968, 14.
Unsigned, Soloists Symposium.
Jane W. Hickman and Delon Lyren, Magnificent Mndez,
(Tempe, AZ: Summit Records, 1994):58.
Rafael Mndez, performance on Art Linkletters House
Party, videotape in Rafael Mndez Library.
Rasey Telephone Interview, 30 December 1992.
Rafael Mndez, interview with Los Angeles trumpeters.
Alfonso Rodriguez Letter, 8 July 1992.
Laplace, Rafael Mndez, from The American Weekly,
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
23 July 1950.
Unsigned, Mndez Plays Here Sunday, Saskatoon
(Saskatchewan) Star-Phoenix, 17 October 1962.
Los Angeles Herald-Express, 4 (C).
Rafael Mndez, Trumpeter on a Teaching Tour, 25.
Bill Flaherty, Rafael Mndez Memoriam, Tape recording, Hanover, PA, (date unknown), in the possession of
Delon Lyren.
Mndez Bookings, memorandum to instrumental music
directors for performances during the 1953-54 school
year, held in the Rafael Mndez Library.
Chuck Hendry, intra-company memorandum to Dick
Madden, 30 January 1962, Letter in the possession of
the Rafael Mndez Library.
J. Robert Menchey, Hanover, to Delon Lyren, Mesa, 23
November 1991, Letter in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Mickey Mowbray, Trumpet Virtuoso Wins Plaudits Of
Audience, Prince Albert (Saskatchewan) Daily Herald,
18 October 1962, 5.
Dolores Fetcko, Loves to Share Musical Wealth With
Youngsters, Sunday Post-Tribune Panorama (Gary, Indiana), 7 May 1967, 8.
Ralph Mndez, Trumpeters Triumph; Mndez Twins
Serenade Europe, Centaurian (Centaurville, CA), 3 November 1954, 2.
Unsigned, Rafael Mndez, Famed Trumpet-Player,
Dies, Overture (published by Local 47 of Los Angeles
American Federation of Musicians), 61, No. 7 (November 1981):13.
Unsigned, El Gran Trompetista Rafael Mndez,
Proyecta Hacer Una Jira Por Europa, Esto Pagina, 12
August 1948, 4.
Unsigned, Ron Potrero Presenta, Excelsior (Mexico
City), 17 July 1953, 11-A.
William Shulhan, Saskatoon, to Delon Lyren, Mesa, 16
December 1991, Letter in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Unsigned, Mndez, Dies.
Concerts on Film, sales brochure by Mills Picture Corporation.
Rafael Mndez, The Trumpet, Concerts on Film, filmstrip by Mills Picture Corporation, 1956.
Ibid.
Austin Faricy, Band in Fine Pitch; Mndez Dazzles
Crowd, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 16 June 1960.
Robert Monahan, Greatest Trumpeter Thrills Youngsters, Honolulu Advertiser, 13 January 1960.
Ibid.
Unsigned, Virtuoso On Trumpet To Play Here, Phoenix Gazette, 3 March 1960.
Harold Higa, Honolulu, to Delon Lyren, Mesa, 27 December 1991, Letter in the possession of Delon Lyren.
Caralyn Schilt, Muskogee, to Mrs. Rafael Mndez,
Encino, April 1959, Letter in the possession of the Rafael
Mndez Library.
Albert E. Bonnell, Jr., Muskogee, to Mr. Rafael Mndez,
Encino, April 24, 1959, Letter in the possession of the
Jim Rushton, Muskogee, to Mrs. Rafael Mndez, Encino,
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
April 17, 1959, Letter in the possession of the Rafael

Mndez Library.
Rafael Mndez, Successful Trumpet Playing; A talk with
Rafael Mndez, International Musician 58 (October
1959):18.
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Rogers, Los Angeles, to Hollywood Historic Trust, Hollywood, 12 June 1982, Letter
in the possession of the Rafael Mndez Library.
Alicia P. Hevesi, New York City, to Rafael Mndez,
Encino, 17 July 1958, Letter in the possession of the
Review of Prelude To Brass Playing, by Rafael Mndez,
in Music Educators Journal 49, No. 2 (1962):124.
Review of Prelude To Brass Playing, by Rafael Mndez,
in Brass Quarterly :165-66.
Amor Mndez, Detroit, to Rafael Mndez, Los Angeles,
9 November 1937. Letter in the possession of Ralph
Mndez.
Rex Reed, Trumpet/Guitar Duets: Ten Bands of Perfection, HIFI/Stereo Review 20 (April 1968):78.
Ibid.
Bill Rumfelt, Easy Listening, Rocky Mount, N.C. Telegram, 16 February 1969.
Charles (Bud) Dant, Kailua-Kona, to Delon Lyren,
Mesa, 4 March 1992, Letter in the possession of Delon
Lyren.
Ibid.
Flaherty Phone Interview, 10 February 1993.
Marjorie McAllister, Fun, Fast Concert Brings Spring
into Longmont Sky, Longmont (Colorado) Daily-Times
Call, 24 April 1974, 6.
Ray Babcock, Trumpet Legend Plays In Band, Monterey
Park Californian 28, No. 87 (18 January 1979):1.
Selected Reference Materials

Jane W. Hickman and Delon Lyren, Magnificent
Mndez, Summit Books, 1994.
H.M. Lewis, Rafael Mndez: Trumpeter Extraordinaire, International Trumpet Guild Newletter
(May 1979):16.
The Mndez Collection, music, Carl Fischer.
Rafael Mndez, 12-CD set, Summit Records.
About the Author: This article has been adapted
from Rafael Mndez (1906-1981): A Study of His Life
and Influence in the Trumpet World, by Delon G.
Lyren, DMA dissertation, Arizona State University,
1994. Lyren is assistant professor of high brass at
Bemidji State University and serves as the ITG Membership and Retention Coordinator.

Rafael Mendez

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Reprint from the

International Trumpet Guild Journal

Delon G. Lyren Rafael Mndez: The Life of a Master Trumpeter

1999 International Trumpet Guild

n 1926, when Rafael Mndez (1906-1981)

consequently, Maximino began losing musicians to the

6 ITG Journal / February, 1999

at a time and performing for various encampments of

Rafael and Amor wedding photo.

remembering the event, Rafael said, My hands were

office the following morning. At that meeting, the

8 ITG Journal / February, 1999

man oom-pah band for several weeks. After he had

think that I would be able to heal. So I went

ing a show, Vallee asked Rafael to come to New York

Freelancing in Los Angeles

problems, Mndez began his studies with Louis

10 ITG Journal / February, 1999

Rafael had always harbored feelings of frustration

Rafael Mndezs Certificate of Naturalization.

attended the concert and later signed Mndez to a

cises, and to write a book, Prelude To Brass Playing,

12 ITG Journal / February, 1999

law Alfonso Rodriguez, Rafael was never idle. He

Tre Mndez, Ralph, Rafael, & Robert.

100 and 125 concerts throughout the United States.

hearsed until it was time for the lunch break.

14 ITG Journal / February, 1999

1999 International Trumpet Guild

lowing this rehearsal, if desired, Mndez would sign

these summer tours Rafael either performed as the

The Trumpet Film

16 ITG Journal / February, 1999

Senor [sic] Mndez combines showmanship

inspiration that he generated through his performance.105

the young musicians. Their enthusiasm is

Prelude to Brass Playing

At this point in his career, Rafael had composed and

Throughout Mndezs career until the mid-1950s,

18 ITG Journal / February, 1999

1999 International Trumpet Guild

he consented to the steroids. The steroid therapy

Amor & Rafael Mndez.

Mndezs Final Performances

Rafael performed with the band from Bill Flahertys

20 ITG Journal / February, 1999

Amor and Rafael continued to travel frequently to

Rafaels 73rd birthday party. (Photo by Nelson Hatt)

February, 1999 / ITG Journal 21

ists, pianists, and other solo instrumentalists had

Robert Mndez, interview by author, 12 May 1992, Los

22 ITG Journal / February, 1999

ary 1993, Hanover, PA, transcript in the possession of

1999 International Trumpet Guild

1999 International Trumpet Guild

April 17, 1959, Letter in the possession of the Rafael

Selected Reference Materials

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